BOSTON - A fulltime pitching role for Hunter Harvey, whether he's back in the rotation or staying in the bullpen, is one of the many important decisions that the Orioles need to make after playing their final game.
The kid, and he still qualifies at age 24, would seemingly benefit from a concrete plan.
The kicker here, of course, is that Harvey's string of injuries hasn't gotten tangled in the 2019 season. The discussion centers on how to use him properly and his results. Not the latest...
BOSTON - The Orioles' bullpen has drawn lots of unwanted attention this season with the constant shuttling of relievers and the overall lack of dependability that's been a constant source of frustration to manager Brandon Hyde.
The insertion of former first-round pick Hunter Harvey tonight created a different kind of buzz.
The kid made it back to the majors and his debut could come at any moment. Hyde pretty much indicated as much prior to the game while sitting in the dugout for his media...
BOSTON - Left-hander Ty Blach is starting Sunday at Fenway Park, his second opportunity with the Orioles. The rotation is set now with John Means, Dylan Bundy and Aaron Brooks handling the next three games against the Royals at Camden Yards.
Gabriel Ynoa was a candidate for Sunday, but becomes a bullpen option for manager Brandon Hyde.
Hyde has a new reliever in his bullpen after the Orioles recalled Hunter Harvey today from Triple-A Norfolk. And it could be an assignment that stretches through...
BOSTON - Hunter Harvey found out around 10:30 p.m. last night that the Orioles wanted him in Boston. He made it after a 3:30 a.m. wakeup call for a flight out of Syracuse 90 minutes later, good sleep put on hold with no regrets.
"I don't think it's really sunk in yet that you're in the big leagues," Harvey said this afternoon while standing outside the clubhouse at Fenway Park.
"It's just been a long path and just trying to beat all these injuries and get ahead of them. And it's an...
BOSTON - Trey Mancini is playing first base tonight as the Orioles try to win for only the second time in their last 12 games.
According to STATS, Mancini's streak of seven straight games with an extra-base hit at Fenway Park is the most by an Orioles player in club history and tied for fifth-longest by a visiting player. The Twins' Harmon Killebrew (May 24, 1962-May 20, 1963) and the Yankees' Carlos Beltrán (April 22, 2014-Aug. 31, 2015) share the record with nine.
The Orioles' record...
BOSTON - The latest roster move for the Orioles brings pitcher Hunter Harvey to the majors for the first time since 2018 and sets him up to make his long-awaited debut.
The Orioles recalled Harvey this morning from Triple-A Norfolk. He fills the roster spot that opened after pitcher Tom Eshelman was optioned following last night's 9-1 loss to the Red Sox.
Harvey can become the 54th player used by the Orioles this season, two short of the club record set last year. He'd be the 37th...
BOSTON - Orioles shortstop Richie Martin darted to his left in a game this week in the Bronx, slid to gather a groundball hit by Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, and popped back up to his feet and fired to first base to record the out by a half-step.
He earned a full style point for the maneuver.
Six innings earlier, as the Yankees were batting for the first time, Martin took a few steps to his right to handle a bouncer from Aaron Judge and threw to second base, but the Orioles couldn't turn...
BOSTON - The Orioles saw some improvements tonight in Aaron Brooks, who still carried the welts from a beating administered by the Astros in his last start. The healing process after a 23-2 thrashing, with four home runs hit against him in three innings, won't happen overnight or in a couple of days.
Brooks made it into the sixth inning tonight, an opportunity for a more positive outing compromised in the fourth. The Red Sox broke a tie and pulled away while handing the Orioles their 10th loss...
BOSTON - The Orioles are rolling the dice that a seven-man bullpen will be ample, with Chandler Shepherd optioned today to make room for outfielder DJ Stewart.
Yesterday's break in the schedule allowed the relievers to rest, and more of them became available tonight.
The payoff is a four-man bench and more roster flexibility.
"It's nice we have that extra position player right now," said manager Brandon Hyde. "We lost a reliever, but hopefully we can stick with this number. We just...
BOSTON - DJ Stewart knows that there's nothing funny about a concussion. He can smile now at the circumstances. He's watched the video. But as someone who's suffered multiple head injuries, he takes them very seriously.
The Orioles reinstated Stewart from the injured list this afternoon and he's starting in right field tonight against the Red Sox, his first game since attempting a sliding catch on Aug. 6 at Camden Yards and taking a fly ball off the left temple.
Stewart was in left field...
BOSTON - Trey Mancini makes his third start in left field tonight, stationed in front of the Green Monster, for the series opener against the Red Sox.
DJ Stewart, reinstated from the seven-day concussion injured list, is in right field and Anthony Santander is in center.
Jace Peterson is playing second base and Jonathan Villar is the shortstop..
Rio Ruiz is starting at third base, with Hanser Alberto on the bench.
Chance Sisco is catching and batting ninth, one spot behind first baseman Chris...
BOSTON - The Orioles have increased the number of reserves on their bench today to four by reinstating outfielder DJ Stewart from the seven-day concussion injured list and optioning reliever Chandler Shepherd to Triple-A Norfolk.
Chandler made his major league debut Tuesday night in New York and held the Yankees to one run over four innings.
Stewart attempted to make a sliding catch in left field in an Aug. 6 game against the Yankees and the ball struck him on the left temple. He played two...
The Orioles are three-quarters through the 2019 season and, much to the chagrin of the most optimistic of fans, a winning record no longer is a mathematical possibility.
I've lost count of how many times I've responded to the same questions. Of how many times I've made a mockery of the mailbag format for interacting with readers.
You keep coming back, so you must get the joke. Or you just keep coming back and are thinking, 'What joke?' In which case ... never mind.
You ask and I answer and...
Getting away from the Yankees offers the kind of relief to the Orioles that the bullpen has struggled to provide this season.
Sixteen losses in a row to them. Seventeen total out of 19 games. Some ugly, some competitive. They count just the same.
Among the lessons learned is the wisdom in walking Gleyber Torres. Doesn't matter whether first base is open. Down five runs in the eighth, two on and two outs, you hold up four fingers.
Manager Brandon Hyde would have been roasted by media and fans...
NEW YORK - The Orioles forced J.A. Happ to throw 33 pitches in the top of the first inning today. Loaded the bases against him after scoring a run. Listened as fans booed the starter. Seemed on the verge of releasing all the frustration that built over past games against the Yankees.
They settled for the one run, gave up four in the bottom half of the inning and looked again like a team loaded with desire and energy but short in other areas.
And the beasts that they keep facing aren't going to...
The Orioles have been searching for pitchers to improve their depth in the rotation and bullpen, and they made a minor move this afternoon by claiming right-hander Ryan Eades off waivers from the Twins, according to multiple sources.
Eades, 27, made his major league debut earlier this summer and appeared in two games. He blanked the Tigers on two hits over two innings on June 8 at Comerica Park and the Mariners on two hits over 1 2/3 on June 12 at Target Field. He's walked two batters and...
NEW YORK - Outfielder DJ Stewart is joining Triple-A Norfolk today in Pawtucket for the first of two rehab games before the Orioles are expected to remove him from the seven-day concussion injured list for Friday's series opener in Boston.
"I think we're going to make a decision after Thursday," said manager Brandon Hyde.
There's always the possibility that the Orioles activate Stewart and option him again. Otherwise, they'd have to go with a four-man bench - and it's unlikely that...
NEW YORK - Trey Mancini is playing first base this afternoon as the Orioles try to salvage a game in the series and end their 15-game losing streak to the Yankees.
Hanser Alberto is leading off and playing third base. The outfield includes Jace Peterson in left again and Stevie Wilkerson is in center.
Richie Martin is the shortstop with Jonathan Villar at second base.
Gleyber Torres is serving as the Yankees' designated hitter today.
For the Orioles Hanser Alberto 3B Trey Mancini 1B Anthony...
NEW YORK - Chandler Shepherd is in that uncertain state where he could stay with the Orioles based on a largely effective relief outing or be optioned based on a largely effective relief outing.
Shepherd worked four innings last night and threw 68 pitches, trading a start with Triple-A Norfolk for his major league debut. Other relievers in the past have been sent down, no matter the results, based on their lack of availability in the coming days.
Manager Brandon Hyde wasn't ready to reveal a...
NEW YORK - One pitch from John Means tonight, the first ball to leave his hand, brought evidence that the feeling of déjà vu also makes a sound.
Leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu pulled a 91 mph fastball into the left field seats for the latest home run surrendered to the Yankees. The eighth run allowed in the first inning in three games in the series.
The only break in tradition was that it didn't involve Gleyber Torres.
Torres was tamed for one night by his standards, settling for a single...